How does an automated planogram software work?

A step-by-step guide of Plano360, our all-in-one retail space planning tool for data driven space and category management, effective store clustering and successful visual merchandising campaigns!

Planograms are nothing new – retail chains are used to strategically planning their displays and creating product lists based on supply and demand, consumer trends, and space capacity in each store. This information is traditionally stored across multiple documents such as long spreadsheets or pdf exported by planogram design tools. Those are then sent to the store employees through various strands of email, while auditing entails a different process entirely.

In the era of smart retail, however, the pressure is on to streamline this workflow in order to save time, money, and most importantly, ensure continuous progress in their merchandising endeavors through automation.

At Yodiwo, we want to help stores achieve true digital transformation, creating spaces that are well-run, and above all, promise memorable and tailored in-store experiences to their customers. This is how we came up with Plano360 – a modular system, allowing retail teams to automatically perform all actions associated with planogram generation and compliance, simultaneously tackling all retail pain areas in a user-friendly real time virtual environment!

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Setting up

System administrators can easily upload  2D or 3D store floorplans, lists of SKU’s, fixtures and product codes, lists of users and their roles. This is a relatively static set of data but can be modified whenever any of the above lists are changing.  

Any such input – static or dynamic – including pricing and inventory can also be fetched automatically from various systems, as Plano360 allows integration with ERP, Inventory Management Software, or even shared databases. 

Step 2: Planogram Creation  

Demand Managers define product assortments based on factors such as market demands, buyer power index per location, behavioral trends etc.  Space Managers can then view these product lists on Plano360, see the space of each store, specify the appropriate fixture at each area and proceed to digitally create their planograms!

Multiple options for planogram generation are provided: manual, full or semi-automated modes, allowing the user to address a long range of product categories and stores. Store clustering can further accelerate the creation of planograms for the entire range of a chain’s stores.  

Data compilation allows merchandisers to simultaneously consider multiple factors, from store and SKU dimensions, to stock, to customer behavior and target audience per area.  This leads to better, localized strategies, and their implementation across stores with similar characteristics. 

Inventory management and automatic planogram generation on Plano360

Step 3: Implementation

 

Planograms are released to the stores and in store staff is notified on their Plano360 account and/or by email for any minor or major planogram changes. The good news: Plano360 is licensed per store and not per user – meaning it can be used by thousands of employees without any impact on budget! 

Stores, back offices and HQ’s achieve real time communication in a common, virtual, smartphone-friendly environment. Plano360 offers a ticketing system that allows users to quickly implement changes, make new suggestions, and upload photos to ensure expert planogram compliance without the need for strenuous and disjointed emails.  

Step 4: Auditing 

Plano360 supports various ways for compliance audit. It can simply offer electronic planogram forms prompting store employees to quickly confirm compliance. For further automation, Plano360 can integrate with image processing systems (such as our Yodigram) that identify SKUs and assess planogram compliance. Another audit process supported by Plano360, makes use of Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL) systems where each label is associated with a specific product code.

Step 5: Data-driven merchandising 

Every sale generates valuable data. Continuous use of the platform entails greater automation and ongoing improvement for increasingly advanced virtual merchandising strategies based on stored data and predictive analytics. Plano360 does not simply promise automated planograms, but rather a full digital optimization of their creation process, offering end-to-end visibility on everything that goes on in a store!

Step 6: Measuring Progress 

Automated KPI reports are sent daily, weekly, or as often as required! We take pride in Plano360 being our built-in-house software, entirely controlled by our team of committed engineers who are here to make your data truly speak for you – creating and monitoring customized KPI’s so you can unlock multiple factors of lasting merchandising success. 

Additional Benefits:

  • eCommerce support through full real time Inventory Visibility – achieve profitable eCommerce and know a product’s exact availability and place in any store! 
  • Customer Analytics and Heatmaps based on sales data – reveal the most and least profitable areas of a store and create seamless customer journeys! 
  • Omnichannel Strategies – create memorable shopping experiences and a strong brand identity across all channels of a retail chain as every store’s strategies become streamlined, correlated and directly communicated on Plano360!

Want to learn more about Plano360 and how it can best fit your merchandising needs? 

Book a 30-minute free consultation call with us today!